Game



May 14, 1935. B. E. MITTELMAN GAME Filed Feb. 23, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 14, 1935. B. E. MITTELMAN GAME Filed Feb. 23, 1933 WWI WNvN

. The invention relates to games for Patented May 14, 1935 STATES PATENT. OFFICE.

amusement and more particularly to that type in which a series of tokens are simultaneously released to roll over successively a series of runways to produce an uncertainty in their order at the end of the course.

One object of the invention is to provide a game of this type-in'which the tokens can pass one another in the course of their travel with means for causing variation in their travel as a result of their transverse positions and to cause variation in the order of their arrival at the end of the course.

' Another object is to provide improved and simple means for elevating the tokens from the end of the course to discharge them onto the beginning of the course.

Other objects will appear from the detailed description of the apparatus.

The invention'consists of several novel features hereinafter set forth and more particularly set forth by claims at the conclusion hereof.

' ,In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective of an apparatus embodying the invention. v Figure 2 is a horizontal section. I

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 4;

Figure 4 is a vertical section on line 4-4 of Figure 3. I

Figure 5 is a detail of the device for controlling the operation of the carrier for transferring'the tokens from the top. to the bottom of the course.

The invention is exemplified in apparatus which is enclosed in a rectangular casing I0 which is provided with a transparent front plate H through which the tokens will be visible as they run down and across the runway. The course for the tokens is formed between a fixed crosswall 12 of the case and glass plate II by a series of inclined runways orstrips I3 which extend inwardly from one side wall of the case and terminate short of the opposite side wall and a series of downwardly inclined runways flfi which extend inwardly from the last mentioned side wall and terminate short of the first mentioned side wall. The inner ends of the runways l3 overlap the inner ends of the runways !4 and the series of runways form a zigzag or. sinuous passage for the tokens so that they will roll successively along the uppermost runway [3 to its end, then gravitate onto the first runway l4 and then drop ofi its inner'end onto the next runway l3 and so on until they drop 8Claims. (01. 273-144 p p off the lowermost runway IS. ,A series of. balls" I5 is used in playing the game. These may be of different colors or marked sothat they will be distinguishable from one another. The runways are of sufficient width to permit one ball to pass another so that any ball which is moving with greater velocity can pass another if they happen to be sideby side and not in alinement. To permit the balls to take longer or shorter courses according to their transverse positions on the runways, some of the runways have por tions of their inner ends offset or terminated so that balls running on the front and rear of the runway will drop off to the succeedingrunway before others and thus cause some balls to travel a shorter course or to be advanced ahead of a ball ona subjacent runway. In this manner, the. order of the balls will be. changed in their travel over the. course. For this purpose the front portions of somegofthe runways are cut away so they will terminate at l6 while the rear portions are extended beyond the point l6 and terminate as at 11. Some of these ends may be arranged to make it; possible for a ball to entirely skip one runway and be advanced ahead of another ball on the skipped runway. Others are arranged to permit only aninterchange of order when one ballis traversing the portion of a runway adjacent one side after having rolled ofi an edge H, by a succeeding ball passing off one of the edges I 6. This construction exemplifies a ball course inwhich the runways are formed to; permit balls to pass one another side by side when they move at different velocities and whichhave their frontand rear portions of difierent lengths to elfect a change in the order of the balls. The entire series of balls is simultaneously discharged through an opening IS in the top portion of wall l2, onto the uppermost runway. From the lowermost runway the balls fall successively onto a guideway 20 which has downwardly inclined ends and a central portion in front-of an exit opening 2| formed in the wall l2. 1A transversely'inclined deflector plate 2P directsvthe balls in single succession into openingZl. A wire 22 extends across the front of the opening 2| between the inner end of thedeflector 2| and theright hand end of slot 2| to hold the balls at the rear of opening 2! so they will be visible and so the order in which they have arrived atthe terminus of the course can be seen.

This mechanism is adapted to receive the entire series of balls at the lower end of the course and, transfer them toand discharge them through the delivery opening l8 above the uppermost runway. This mechanism comprises a rotatable carrier 23 which is fixed in a bearing 25 on the back wall of the case.

The operator can rotate shaft 24 by means of a crank 2'! at one side of the case. Said crank is fixed to a shaft 28 which has affixed thereto a beveled pinion 26 which meshes with abeveled gear 29 on shaft 24. Each revolution of crank 2! will operate the carrier one-halfrevolution; The carrier is -equipped with a pair of diametrically opposite pockets 30, 3| which have front openings normally registering with the openings: l8, 2| in plate l2. These pockets have a back. wall and inclined top and bottom walls so that when either pocket registers with the receivingopening 2|, the balls will roll backwardly by gravity and be retained in the pocket. When either pocket is in its elevated position, it will be: inverted so that the balls will roll forwardly out of the carrier through opening F8 and drop ontothe uppermost runway 'id when that pocket is moved into-registry with that opening. A- gate 32- is provided to close: opening P8 during the movement of the carrier so the balls cannot: be released until the entire set is positioned topass through opening it to cause substantially simultaneous release of the halls. gate is pivoted at 33 to' the wall [-2, is normally pressed downwardly by a spring 35 againsta stop 34 and has a flange or abutment 36- which is-adapted to be engaged by either of the earns 31 on the car rier. Normally the gate 32 ispositioned below the opening Hi. During the rotation of' the carrier, the cam3l'-approachiu1g said opening will engage flange 3G and lift the gate toclose said opening until that cam cle ars thefl'ange fiat which time the gate will be snapped downwardly toclear opening f8. This occurswhen the pack et is fully in registry with opening Hi. When the pocket arrives in registry with the opening t8, the entire setof balls will roll .out of the pocket through said opening and drop onto the uppermost runway. As one or the carrierpockets is moved to deliver the balls to the runways the other pockets will be rotated into registry with the exit opening 21 in readiness to receive the balls after they have descended'along the runways. If desired,- a similar gate'fl may be provided to close the opening it and hold the balls in the lower carrier pocketuntil said pocir et vhas cleared the opening 21. Gate 32 is pressed upwardly by a spring w and has a flange 32 which is engaged by the cams- 3 to holdsaid gate downwardly to clear the opening 2! until' the carrier has" started to rotate. After it has been started, the cam will pass over the flange 32 and permit the spring 3}!" to lift the gate;

To limit the carrier to cycles of one-half revo-' lu-tion, a double arm 38 is fixed 'toshaft 2 and a pivoted detent 39 is adapted to successively arrest said arms positionthe carrier at the end of each operation. This detent may he coincontrolled or otherwise. I

This construction exemplifies a rotatable carrier comprising pockets for transferring a set of tokens from one end of the course to the other and whereby the tokens be automatically discharged? onto the course by one pocket. Also a rotatable carrier by which these pockets will be alternately and simultaneously shidted into receiving and discharging positions,

The invention is not to be understood to be restricted to the details set forth since these may be modified within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desired to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a game, the combination of a case, a series of rolling tokens, a series of downwardly inclined runways arranged successively to receive the: tokens from one another, one of:v the runwaysbeing wider than thetokens to permit them to assume difierent transverse positions thereon,.. and having its lower end formed to vary the length of the run of the tokens thereon when they run on different transverse portions.

successively to receive the tokens from one another, one of the runways being wider than the tokensto permit them to assume different transverse positions thereon, and having its lower end formed to vary-the length-of the runof the tokensthereon when they run on different transverse portions, and -means for simultaneously discharging the series of tokens to the uppermost runway! 1 3. In a game, the combination of a case, a series of rolling tokens, a series of superposed, downwardly inclined runways arranged success-ively to receive the tokens from one another, one of the runways being wider than the tokens to permit them to assume diiferent transverse positions thereon, and having its: lower end formed" to vary the length of the run or the tokens thereon when they run on different transverse portions, and means for transferring the series of tokens from a'pointbelow toa point above the runways.

42. In a. game, the combination of acase, a series of rolling tokens, a series of downwardly inclined runways arranged successively to receive the tokens from one another, the-"runways being of sufficient width to permit the tokens to pass one another thereon, one or more of said runways having its; lower end formed to vary the length of the run of the tokens thereon when they run on different transverse portions, and means for transferring the series of tokens from a point below the runways to a' point above them. I

5. In a game, the combination of a case, a series of rolling: tokens, and a series of down wardly inclined separated runways arranged successively to deliver the tokens from one to anotheryone of the runways being wider than the tokens to permit them to assume different transverse positions thereon, and having its lower end providedwith relatively ofiset portions to vary the I length of the run of the tokens thereon when they run on different transverse portions.

6 In a game, the combination of a case provided with a transparent front wall, a parallel wall in the rear of the transparent wall, a series of rolling tokens, the rear wall being provided with a lower opening for discharge of the tokens, and with an upper inlet opening for the tokens, a series of downwardly inclined runways arranged toreceive the tokens through the inlet opening and successively to pass the tokens from one another vand of sufiicient transverse width to permit one token to pass another, and a car-'- rier provided means to receive the tokens. after they pass through the lower opening and to transfer them collectively to the upper opening, one or more of the runways having portions of their discharge ends relatively offset to discharge tokens thereon at different points.

7. In a game of the character described, the combination of a case provided with a transparent front wall, a parallel wall in the rear of the transparent wall, a series of rolling tokens, the rear wall being provided with a bottom discharge opening and upper inlet opening for said tokens, a series of downwardlyv inclined runways mounted on the front face of said parallel wall and arranged to receive the tokens successively from one another, a rotatable carrier adjacent the back face of said parallel wall provided with a pocket adapted to receive the tokens after they have passed through the discharge opening, and in response to rotation of the carrier to discharge the tokens through the inlet opening onto the uppermost runway, a normally open gate for the inlet opening pivoted adjacent the rear face of said parallel wall so that it may be swung upwardly into a closed position, and means associated with the carrier operative during rotation of the latter to swing the gate upwardly into its closed position when the pocket approaches said inlet opening and to release the gate so that it swings downwardly into its open position when the pocket is brought into registry with the inlet opening.

8. In a game of the character described, the

combination of a case provided with a transparent front wall, a parallel wall in the rear I of the transparent wall, a series of rolling tokens, the rear wall being provided with a bottom discharge opening and upper inlet opening for said tokens, a series of downwardly inclined runways mounted on the front face of said parallel wall and arranged to receive the tokens successively from one another, a rotat-' able carrier adjacent the back face of said parallel wall provided with a pocket adapted to re:- ceive the tokens after they have passed through the discharge opening, and in response to rotation of the carrier to discharge the tokens through the inlet opening onto the uppermost runway, a gate for closing the inlet opening pivoted adjacent the rear face of the parallel wall so that it may be swung upwardly from an open position into a closed position with respect to said inlet opening, a spring applied to the gate to hold the samein its open position, and a cam connected to the carrier and arranged to shift the gate upwardly against the force of the spring into its closed position when the pocket during rotation of the carrier approaches the inlet opening and to release the gate so that it is swung into its open position by the spring when the pocket is brought into registry with said inlet opening.

BENJAMIN E. MITTELMAN. 

